I learned to compost the hard way. I originally thought I could just dump kitchen scraps in a bin and leave it be. The first bin I made failed to create compost because I put too much green matter in it. It just became a smelly slush. That's when I learned (after watching and reading more info on composting) that you have to balance the green and brown matter you put in the bin.
Here's what I learned about composting:
1. Bin - I've used plastic, an aluminum can, and a huge terracotta pot. What's important is to have holes at the bottom of the bin and the sides. This will allow excess water to get out and will help aerate the matter inside. I like using the terracotta pot though.
2. Balance the green and dry matter. It's best to start with dry matter at the bottom. This will help drain the bin better. I like alternating between the brown and green matter.
3. Keep the contents moist, but make sure not to overwater since earthworms can drown if there's too much water. I use rain water to moisten the content once a week. I water more during the summer season.
4. Where to get the earthworms? TBH, I did not buy earthworms. I just built the compost bin and let them organically come. We caught some on the street and scooped them up with a shovel. Saw one we got a few weeks ago and it's super fat now.
5. Cover the bin to allow the gas and bacteria to develop for it to decompose. Make sure though there are holes all over the bin to allow air to come in. You also don't want to suffocate the earthworms.
6. Turn the contents weekly. It's important to do this to aerate the matter and let the workers discover parts they haven't eaten yet.
7. Put the bin in an area that has some shade. We have our bins under bamboo trees at the end of our side garden. It gets a little morning sun. The bamboo in the area benefits from the discharge of the bin. Some gardeners like to harvest the discharge, but I'm fine having it go directly to the soil. It makes the bamboo trees happy.
8. Place a tube with holes in the middle. It's supposed to help provide air to the contents. This also means you don't need to turn the matter often. I'm experimenting on this now and will know in a month if it helped hasten the process of decomposition.
#HappyGardening
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